Oysters and other Edible Mollusca. 145 



from Port Albert and Adelaide, and until latterly the 

 Western Port beds yielded a large quantity. The oysters 

 of New South Wales are principally "rocks," and are found 

 in almost every river and inlet in the colony. The best 

 come from the Manning river and Cape Hawk. Those 

 coming from the Hunter, near Newcastle, are very small, 

 and but seldom used. The number of men engaged in 

 the New South Wales fisheries is calculated at almost 

 1000, but it is impossible to state the exact number. The 

 Tasmanian oysters ("mud") are chiefly found in the bays and 

 inlets on the southern coast the best coming from Port 

 Esperance and Spring Bay. Those brought from the 

 Swan Ports are very inferior. The number of oysters 

 .imported from the Tasmanian fisheries is not half so great 

 as it was some years ago ; and there cannot now be more 

 than about 50 or 60 men employed, whereas there were 

 formerly more than three times that number. No oysters 

 whatever have been received from Western Port for a con- 

 siderable period, though from what cause is not precisely 

 known. Formerly there was a fleet of 21 sailing vessels 

 employed, and the yield then amounted to over 10,000 

 dozen per week. The few received from Adelaide vary in 

 quality, but none of them possess such a good flavour as 

 the " Sydney rocks," which are more used in the colony 

 than any other class of oysters. 



The oyster seasons are : Of Victoria, from the ist 

 February to the 3Oth September ; but this season is con- 

 sidered to commence too early and end too soon. The 

 Sydney rock oysters are allowed to be sold all the year 

 round. The Tasmanian season is restricted to the period 

 intervening between the ist April and the 3ist October; 

 but any party is allowed to gather enough for his own con- 

 sumption at any time. 



L 



